Grave marker



F. A. HOLMES Feb. 2, 1932.

GRAVE MARKER Filed Sept. 2, 1950 INVENTOR H027?? e S,

Patented Feb. 2, 1932 tentez FRANK A. HOLMES, OF WATERLOO, IOWA, ASSGNOR0F ONE-HALF T0 ALBERT J. YTLE.

AND ONE-HALF TO B. B. HUNTER, BOTH OF "WATERLOO, IOWA,

GRAVE MARKER Application filed September 2, 1930. Serial No. 479,370.

My invention relates to improvements in grave markers, and otherinscription receiving structures, and the obj ect of my improvement isto supply such a member or struc- 5 ture with supporting meansassemblable thereof to receive flowers, plants or other l5 ornamentalkor significant things therein,

such as may more .or less relate to the inscribed matter upon thesupported member.

Another object is to furnish suitable closures for the upwardly openinghollows of i?" said standards, and means for fastening said closuresthereto.

Another object is to use inl combination with said standards soilpenetrating -anchoring means having cross connecting means to y securethe standards interlocked to the inscription receiving intermediatestructure, and to thus cooperate with mortise joints therebetween shapedfor interlocking con.

iiections.

"l" These objects I have accomplished by the means which are hereinafterdescribed and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. l is a fi'ont elevation of my improved gravemarker, showing its soil penetrating means and their connectiontherebelow, with parts of the latter in section and other parts in frontelevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of one of the endstandards, and

' part of its ground penetrating support, with w the tenons 4 arewidened outwardly by sloping the lower edges for interlocking purioseswith the walls of like shaped openings (5 in the upper parts ofstandards 3, as shown in Fig. 2. r Y

The lower tenons 5 with the 'mortise openings 7 therefor in thestandards 3 are of the usual rectangular shape. The standards `3 may beof any desired outer 'coniiguratiom preferably ornamental. alsopreferably hollowed out with open ends and having'V seats therein toreceive and'fit open top vases or containers 8 to 'receive flowers,plants or other things. Closures '9 are supplied havingfdetents orprojections to ht into engaging sockets inthe upper edges or rims of thestandards, asA at l2, and these caps may also be ornamental, hollowed orcupped downwardly andvshaped as finials foi` the" standards, beingconnected thereto by means of short chains l0 and eyes as at 1l. rlhestandards are interlocked with the ends of the plate l at theirendmortise'joints,

byinclining tiltingly the standards` to allow the upper widenedl endtenonsft toenter the mortises 6 in the standards, and then the standardsare swung into contact with the plate ends to cause the lower tenons toenter and fit the lower niortises 7. The base of each standard has aninteriorly threaded socket 13 to receive an eXteriorly threaded upperend 14 of a depending pipe member l5 which is to be planted in the soilas shown in Fig. l, leaving the plate l spaced above the ground level. The lower part of each pipe l5 may be transversely apertured to seat ashort cross projection 19 to serve as anchoring means in the earth.Eefore thus implanting the pipes l5, cavities may be made in the earthby means of a post-hole digger or other means to receive the pipes, andif desired the cavities may be of larger diameter than the pipes toreceive plastic cement or concrete as at 18 embedding the pipe therein,together with the ends of a horizontal connecting and tensioning rod 16secured by an end nut 17, the shaft of the rod being beneath the ground.surface. This rod 17 thus serves an anchoring member, and also securesthe mortise joints in their interlocked posi tions.

The ystandardsA are The elements of my device may be of any desiredshape or material, and may be inscribed suitably for the purpose,whether for use as a grave marker, or for notices of any kind displayedthereon.

The inscribed member may be integral with a vase-shaped part, or may beconstructed of separate parts of those kinds yrigidly and permanentlyunited, as well as of detachably connected members of those ordii'erently shaped descriptions.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, an inscription receiving member, hollow and cuppedstandards for supporting the ends of said member and releasably securedthereto, hollow liner vases fitting removably in the cupped ends of thestandards, top closures for the standards, and depending projections onthe standards to enter and serve as anchoring means therefor in the soilbelow.

2. In combination, an inscription receiving member, standards secured tothe ends thereof having hollow seats, removable containers fitted insaid seats, closuresy for said seats, and flexible connections betweensaid closures and said standards.

3. lIn combination, an inscription receivingl member, standards hollowedand having re leasably interlocking mortise joint connections with theends of said member, a cupped container mounted in each standard hollow,

closures for said hollows having flexible fasteningrnean-s connected tothe standards, anchoring projections depending from the standards, andother anchoring means connected to said projections.

In testimony whereof I afX my signature.

FRANK A.. HOLMES.

